The invention relates to apparatus and methods of processing and presenting information received from a plurality of remote sensors.
The operation, maintenance, management and security of a system of physically distributed endpoints (e.g., parking meters, vending machines, photocopiers, traffic lights and other distributed devices) often may require the allocation of significant monitoring efforts and the deployment of significant resources. In an effort to reduce the monitoring and resource demands associated with operating, maintaining, managing and securing multiple physically distributed endpoints, sensors which are configured to monitor the status of each endpoint have been proposed. For example, in the case of parking meters, sensors which are configured to wirelessly transmit status information, such as the occurrence of a meter malfunction and the opening of a meter vault without an authorized key, have been proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,356,903. Further improvements in the collection, processing, distribution and presentation of information received from such remote and physically distributed sensors are possible.
In one aspect, the invention features a processing system that includes a processor configured to qualify, based at least in part upon meta information, environmental status information extracted from signals received from a plurality of remote sensors, each of the sensor signals being indicative of the condition of a respective environment being monitored by a corresponding one of the sensors.
In another aspect, the invention features a processing system that includes the above-identified processor, a plurality of remote sensors each configured to monitor one or more parameters representative of the condition of a respective environment and to transmit signals representative of the one or more monitored parameters, and at least one collector configured to extract environmental status information from signals received from one or more of the plurality of sensors.
Another aspect of the invention features a processor configured to generate a report of the status of a plurality of physically distributed environments based at least in part upon correlation of environmental status information extracted from a plurality sensor signals indicative of the condition of a plurality of respective monitored environments with information relating to the activities of one or more entities authorized to interact with the monitored environments.
Embodiments may include one or more of the following features.
Each of the sensors preferably has a wireless transmitter for transmitting signals representative of the one or more monitored parameters. The processor preferably is configured to receive from a user meta information for qualifying the environmental status information. The processor may be configured to receive meta information in the form of a schedule of planned visits to each of the monitored environments. The processor may be configured to receive in real time meta information from a user in the form of a schedule of one or more planned visits to one or more of the monitored environments. The may be configured to qualify sensor signals representative of an alarm condition based upon the received meta information. The processor also may be configured to qualify sensor signals representative of an alert condition based upon the received meta information.
The processor preferably is configured to present the qualified environmental status information on a display. The processor may be configured to present on the display a form prompting a user to enter meta information for qualifying the environmental status information.
Each of the sensors preferably is configured to monitor the physical condition of a respective parking meter. Each of the sensors may be configured to monitor opening and closing of the parking meter. Each of the sensors may be configured to monitor the physical condition of a respective vending machine or an article of office equipment. Each of the sensors may be configured to monitor the physical condition of a respective residential home.
The environmental status information may correspond to the amount of funds contained in a plurality of remote, physically distributed parking meter systems, and the processor may be configured to qualify the environmental status information to provide an indication when the parking meter systems should be scheduled for collection.
In another aspect, the invention features a processing method, comprising: based at least in part upon meta information, qualifying environmental status information extracted from signals received from a plurality of remote sensors, each of the sensor signals being indicative of the condition of a respective environment being monitored by a corresponding one of the sensors.
Environmental status information may be extracted from signals received from one or more sensors. One or more parameters representative of the condition of a respective environment may be monitored and wirelessly transmitting signals representative of the one or more monitored parameters. Meta information for qualifying the environmental status information may be received from a user. The meta information may be received in the form of a schedule of planned visits to each of the monitored environments. The meta information may be received in real time from a user in the form of a schedule of one or more planned visits to one or more of the monitored environments.
Sensor signals representative of an alarm condition may be qualified based upon the received meta information. Sensor signals representative of an alert condition may be qualified based upon the received meta information.
The qualified environmental status information may be presented on a display. A form prompting a user to enter meta information for qualifying the environmental status information may be presented on the display.
Another aspect of the invention features a processing method, comprising: with a plurality of sensors monitoring one or more parameters indicative of the condition of a plurality of respective environments, each being monitored by a corresponding one of the sensors; wirelessly transmitting signals representative of the one or more monitored parameters; receiving the transmitted signals; extracting environmental status information from the received signals; and qualifying the extracted environmental status information based at least in part upon meta information received from a user.
In another aspect, the invention features a processing method, comprising: receiving environmental status information extracted from a plurality sensor signals indicative of the condition of a plurality of respective, physically distributed environments; receiving information relating to the activities of one or more entities authorized to interact with the monitored environments; correlating the environmental status information with the authorized interaction information; and generating a report of the status of the plurality of physically distributed environments based at least in part upon the results of the correlation.
The report may be presented to a supervising entity.
Among the advantages of the invention are the following. The invention enables end users to optimize the management, collection, maintenance and security monitoring of a plurality of physically distributed end points (e.g., parking meters, vending machines, and other distributed devices). The invention provides implicit communication channels among a variety of separate and distinct entities that may be assigned one or more tasks involving interaction with such endpoints. These implicit communication channels are implemented in an efficient, cost effective and centralized way and enable various authorized and supervising entities to efficiently carry out their assigned tasks. For example, the invention enables a supervising entity (e.g., a police department) to easily distinguish an entity interacting with an endpoint with authorization from an entity interacting with the endpoint without authorization. This feature of the invention is enabled without requiring each endpoint to include a system (e.g., a password or other verification system) for distinguishing authorized users from unauthorized users.
Other features and advantages will become apparent from the following description, including the drawings and the claims.